


Sugar Daddy

by thatwriterlady



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Best Friends, College Student Alfie, College Student Dean, Coming Out, Dean Winchester Realizes His Feelings For Castiel, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Lawyer Castiel, M/M, Prompt Fic, Realizing Feelings, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-24
Updated: 2016-07-24
Packaged: 2018-07-26 10:00:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7569817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean is in his last year of college with his best friend Alfie and after deciding they don't want to do another year in the dorms, they get a small apartment of their own.  Money is tight as both men try to do schooling full time and hold down jobs.  It's not easy, but Alfie's older brother Cas is happy to help.  If they need groceries or can't make their rent, he takes care of it so they can focus on their studies.  And so what if Cas shows up at the apartment with increasing frequency, even when his brother isn't home, and so what if maybe his gaze lingers a little too long on Dean.  He's just being friendly, right?  So why does Dean's heart beat faster every time the man is near, and what the hell is going on with those damn butterflies in his stomach every time Cas touches him?  It's nothing.  Right?  Maybe not...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. July

**Author's Note:**

> Ok, so this was a prompt my daughter found on Tumblr and gave me. I wish I knew who originally posted it because the moment I saw this prompt, I knew I HAD to write it. I took a few liberties, as I often do, to make it Destiel. Here is the prompt:
> 
> **PROMPT: Overhead while walking to the parking lot, on campus: an actual real-life college-student + sugar daddy AU in the making:**  
>  Male College Student: so I think my roommate’s older brother is, like, hitting on me.  
> Female College Student: really??  
> Male Student: yeah, well…like, he’s like helping us out with rent and stuff? And he, like, wants to hang out a lot…like, even with just me, like, Roommate isn’t even there…and then he bought Roommate’s books for next semester, except he asked if I wanted to come to the bookstore, and then he bought my books. Like, I didn’t let him buy all of them ‘cause I felt weird. But then he bought me dinner. So, like…  
> Female Student: (half-joking) is he hot?  
> Male Student: uhhh…I guess? Yeah. Maybe. I mean, I dunno.  
> Female Student: wait, though, is this like a creepy thing? Is he creepy?  
> Male Student: no! No, dude, he’s not like–like he’s actually a pretty cool guy, like he’s paying for Roommate to go to college and helping us out, and he’s all smart, like he’s a lawyer and shit, and he’s, like, chill, y'know, and–  
> Female Student: oh my god you like, LIKE him.  
> Male Student: (loudly enough that heads turn) I’M NOT GAY.  
> Female Student: you totally like him!  
> Male Student: BUT I’M NOT GAY.  
> Female Student: you’re, like, gay FOR HIM.  
> Male Student: (stops walking) BUT–FUCK.  
> Female Student: you could, like, be dating a lawyer!  
> …at which point, because they’d stopped walking, I had to maneuver around them and pretend I’d not been eavesdropping, and find my car.  
> We may never know the outcome, but I like to think that Sudden Epiphany College Student and Roommate’s Hot Lawyer Older Brother are now happily dating. (I also wonder what Roommate thinks of this–as a friend I imagine he is pleased–and whether he was secretly hoping for this outcome.)  
> Anyway, though: imagine your OTP.   
> I want this so much!! Someone please write Destiel story based on this !! 
> 
> I do hope you enjoy this! **ALL CHAPTERS WILL BE UP TONIGHT**

[](http://s86.photobucket.com/user/thatwriterlady/media/Sugar%20Daddy%20collage_zpsf0jhggfh.jpg.html)

 

“We’re finally unpacked. About time damn time!” Dean dropped the last box on the floor in his bedroom and stood back up. He stretched, feeling his back pop and groaned at how good that felt. They’d spent the last two hours hauling boxes up from a tiny UHaul rental trailer to their equally tiny apartment, and he was glad to be finished. He heard a laugh from somewhere else in the apartment and then his roommate Alfie was sticking his head in the room.

“It was mostly your record collection.” 

Dean grinned and flipped his friend off.

“Come on, let’s order a pizza.”

“Oh, pizza, that sounds good. Do we have the money for that though?” Alfie asked. His stomach rumbled loud enough that even Dean could hear it.

“Dude, I have coupons and a pizza fund. We are getting pizza.” He pushed past his friend and headed for the kitchen, where he had left his phone charging. 

“I want pepperoni!” Alfie followed after. “And whatever else you want on it.”

“How’s a meat lover’s sound?” Dean asked as he sorted through his phone for the number to the pizza joint.

“Yeah, that sounds good. I’m starving.” For emphasis Alfie’s stomach growled again. They both laughed. 

“Ok, hang on.” 

Dean placed the call, deftly using his coupon codes so that the entire purchase ended up costing barely ten dollars. Alfie was impressed and offered to cover the tip once the food arrived. With that out of the way they both took a look around. It wasn’t like they had a lot of stuff. They were both struggling college students, but there were still boxes everywhere. Problem was, there wasn’t any furniture. They had more books than they knew what to do with, and they had albums galore, but they didn’t have a couch or even an arm chair. They did, however, have a crappy little desk, a couple of bean bag chairs, and a television Dean had brought from his home back in Kansas when he’d first left for college. It wasn’t much, but he figured since this was their senior year and they both had jobs, they could handle a place of their own. The dorms were just getting to be too much.

Dean and Alfie had met their sophomore year in a political science class and had immediately hit it off. They bonded over their majors (Dean was in to become a history teacher; Alfie planned to be a guidance counselor.), over their pain in the ass roommates, and over annoying brothers. The difference for Dean was that his brothers were both younger whereas Alfie’s were all older. He had met one of Alfie’s brothers, Gabe, when he suddenly appeared on campus and dragged them both out to dinner during finals week their junior year. Dean had actually been grateful because Gabe had not only offered to pay, he had pulled them away from mind-numbing hours of book staring, and told them to order whatever they wanted. They ate like kings that night, and the studying went much easier after that. Alfie had three other brothers, but the next oldest one over him, Cas, had been working his ass off since graduating from Stanford and had only just moved back to town the year before. Alfie was from the area but had opted to live in the dorms rather than stay under his mother’s thumb. Cas was apparently of the same mindset because he had an apartment only two blocks away from where Alfie and Dean currently lived. Part of the reason they had chosen this area was the close proximity to the university and so Alfie could be closer to his brother Cas. He was a lawyer with a job at a prestigious law firm and, according to Alfie, was extremely bright and well on his way to becoming partner. Dean was impressed that anyone that young would be moving up that fast. Maybe Alfie was just really proud of his brother and bragging. He couldn’t blame him, he was like that with Sam and Adam.

Sam was in his freshman year of college and had a full scholarship to Stanford, which was where he currently was. Adam was a freshman in high school. They were both doing great, and Dean was proud of them. He knew they were proud of him too. Alfie had not gotten to meet his brothers, aside from one brief Skype session when Alfie happened to be at Dean’s dorm room studying when Sam called. He hoped to one day introduce Alfie to his brothers in person, but who knew when that would happen. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Did I tell you my brother is stopping by tomorrow? He wants to see the new place,” Alfie said around a mouthful of pizza. Dean shook his head.

“Place looks like shit. We don’t have anywhere to put anything.”

“He doesn’t care. Wants to get us a housewarming present. I’m hoping he’ll get us a couch.” Alfie grinned as he grabbed another slice of pizza.

“Which brother? Cas? Gabe’s in Florida, right? And where are the other two? ” Dean asked.

“Yeah, Gabe’s in Florida. Mike is in Chicago, and Luke is at the other end of the state. Cas is the one around the corner. He’d have helped us today except we moved in on a weekday and he had court today. But he’s coming tomorrow, and probably with groceries or a gift card to get some.” 

Dean was impressed. Cas was thoughtful, but Dean was like that too with his own brothers.

“Cool. We don’t have anything in there except milk and eggs. I can’t even make us all dinner tomorrow with that.”

“I’ll let him know that,” Alfie said. “And he’s really cool, you’ll like him.”

“If he’s anything like you, I’m sure I will. You’re one of the most laid-back, cool guys I know. It’s the uptight assholes I can’t stand. Like Dick Roman.” Dean frowned as he thought about the asshole from his civics class. God that guy was a snooty bastard. He’d been nothing but a thorn in Dean’s side the last three years, and he was expecting the man to be one this year too. When he looked up he saw a scowl on his friend’s face.

“Cas is _nothing_ like Dick Roman. He’s quiet and sort of serious until you get to know him, but he’s nice. With me and Gabe for brothers there’s no way he could possibly be an asshole.”

Dean laughed as he grabbed another slice of pizza.

“Good to know. What time is he coming? Not that we can exactly clean up anything.”

Alfie shrugged. “He’ll text me when he wakes up. He’s not a morning person.”

Dean nodded and stuffed half of his slice in his mouth. He hoped Cas was going to have a gift card. They really needed groceries.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dean!”

Dean had spent the morning filling his dresser drawers and closet with his clothes after a quick run to Goodwill. His mother had called him last night to remind him that it was the first Saturday of the month and therefore everything was half price, including furniture, so he had run down to the nearest one bright and early that morning to see what they had. He’d counted himself lucky that they had two functional dressers and had quickly bought them both. Getting them back to the apartment had not been easy, he’d had to get assistance from the people there to tie them to the hood of his car, and then when he’d gotten here he’d had to wake Alfie up to get the man to come down and help him bring them up. Now Alfie had one in his room and Dean had one in his. It was a start at least. He shoved the last of his tee shirts into one of the drawers and stepped into the living room.

“Yeah?”

“Come here, meet my brother.”

It sounded like Alfie was in the kitchen so that’s where he headed. He stepped around the corner to find Alfie standing at the island with a tall man with a head full of messy, dark hair.

“Hey, Dean, this is my brother Cas. Cas, this is my best friend, Dean.” Alfie introduced as soon as he noticed him. Cas turned and Dean found himself pinned under the gaze of the bluest eyes he had ever seen. 

“Uh, hey. Nice to finally meet you.” He was amazed he had managed to find his words after all. The other man smiled and offered a hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet you too. Alfie talks about you all the time. Feels like I already know you.” 

The man's voice was much deeper than he’d expected, so to mask his surprise Dean pursed his lips and looked at Alfie in mock annoyance as he shook Cas’ hand. “I hope it’s nothing bad.” 

Cas laughed and shook his head. “No, not at all. But I do know you have a deep love for classic rock music.”

Dean grinned. “Hell yeah, I do.”

“I do as well.” Cas nodded towards boxes piled in the living room. “I see you have quite an extensive collection.”

Dean followed his gaze. Ten boxes of albums. Yeah, it was a pretty “extensive” collection if he said so himself.

“I have more back home in Kansas, but I bought a lot of these over the last couple of years.”

“You should see my collection sometime. It might actually rival yours.” There was something in Cas’ tone that sounded...flirty, and Dean quickly turned back to look at him. Cas was smiling, one eyebrow cocked, and he wasn’t quite sure what to make of that. He looked to Alfie, but his friend was busy trying to start the coffee pot. Wait, when did they get a coffee pot?

“Where did that come from?” 

“Cas brought it. I told him you can’t do mornings without your coffee, so he got us this. Now you don’t have to waste money at that coffee shop on campus,” Alfie replied. Dean looked over at Cas again.

“Thanks, man. That’s really…” He smiled shyly as he rubbed at the back of his neck. “It’s awesome.”

“Anything to help you guys get settled so you can focus on your studies rather than little things like this. I brought you coffee, sugar, creamer, and a set of coffee mugs too.” Cas moved to the counter where the coffee pot was and where Alfie was still trying to figure out how the machine worked, and opened the cabinet over his head. There were four brand new mugs sitting inside. 

“No, like this.” He reached past Alfie to press a couple of buttons. 

“Oh, it’s not as hard as I thought it was.” Alfie muttered. Cas chuckled as he pulled three of the mugs down and set them on the island.

“I’d offer you something to eat, but we need to get groceries. I’m sorry about that,” Dean said a few minutes later as Cas slid a mug of coffee over to him.

“Alfie told me. That’s why I am taking you guys shopping. You need food, and I didn’t have the time to stop and grab a card. I bought this coffee maker like, two weeks ago in anticipation of you guys moving in. If I’d been thinking about it, I’d have gotten the card then, but it slipped my mind.”

“You don’t have to do that.” Dean was humbled by the man’s generosity. Cas was as nice as Alfie had said. And damn his eyes were _blue_! That thought caught Dean off guard and he sputtered, choking on his first sip. No one else seemed to notice though.

“Nonsense. You guys can’t be expected to start a new school year and focus on your studies if you’re starving. I know your food budget was blown on the U Haul. Alfie told me. We’ll get your fridge filled up so it’s one less thing for you guys to have to worry about.” Cas waved off his concern.

“I told you my brother is awesome.” Alfie grinned around his own mug. Dean had to admit, he liked the guy. It was just a little unnerving that he was finding it difficult to stop staring into the man’s eyes.

“So finish up, and we’ll get going.” Cas was looking at Dean again and for some reason, it was making Dean feel real funny. He wasn’t sure whether it was a good funny or not.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cas was more generous than Dean had expected and three hundred dollars later they had every kitchen cabinet filled with food and the basic essentials they would need in order to cook. Dean was insistent on making dinner for all of them and said as much once they got back to the apartment and had everything put away.

“I’m making dinner; you’re staying, right, Cas? U-unless you have someone to get home to.” He wasn’t sure why the idea that Cas might have a girlfriend, or maybe a boyfriend, at home so bothersome. It was confusing.

“No, no one waiting. I’d love to stay for dinner. What are you planning to make?” Cas asked.

“I was thinking burgers,” Dean replied.

“Yes! Burgers!” Alfie exclaimed.

Dean chuckled and turned his attention to Cas.

“Burgers sound great. Let me help.” 

That was how Dean found himself working in the tiny kitchen alongside a man that smelled like crisp linen and the ocean, his stomach in knots every time Cas’ hand brushed against him or tried to move around him in the tiny space. It was confounding to him that a _man_ was making him all flustered. Dean didn’t like men, he liked _women_ , with their soft curves, full breasts, and plush lips. He liked holding them in his arms, kissing them, the way it felt when he moved inside them. Women were just...awesome. So why was he getting what equated to butterflies in his stomach every time Cas smiled in his direction or brushed against him? It was confusing, to say the least. Dean Winchester was _not_ gay. Every time Cas smiled at him though, his heart beat faster. Maybe it wasn’t so simple as straight or gay. Could someone be just a little gay? It was a thought he continued to ponder as he cooked.

The burgers were really good, and Cas seemed especially fond of them if the noises he was making were any indication. Dean found himself staring more than once. It was Alfie’s snorts of amusement that snapped him back to reality and got him looking away before he could embarrass himself. After dinner Alfie offered to do the cleanup and wash the dishes. Dean and Cas sat in the bean bag chairs in the living room.

“I can’t remember the last time I sat in one of these,” Cas mused as he patted the side of his bag. Dean chuckled.

“They were on clearance for eight bucks each, so I grabbed them.”

“Thrifty, I like that.” Cas had that eyebrow cocked again and fuck if that wasn’t doing things to Dean. He could feel his cheeks heating up so he looked away, hoping the other man didn’t notice.

“My mom taught me to be when I was a kid. We didn’t grow up with a lot of money, so I know how to budget and get the best value for my buck.”

“That’s admirable. We didn’t grow up with money either. In fact, there were five of us boys living in a trailer with our folks. When our dad died, my mom struggled hard. Alfie was still in diapers, and my mom was really scared she was going to get us taken away. Our oldest brothers went straight to work in order to take care of us. Luke was eighteen, Mike was sixteen, but they worked their asses off. Gabe babysat me and Alfie so our mom could go back to work as a nurse, and thanks to the family working together, we all got to go to college, even Luke and Mike. Mom has a nice house on the other side of town now and doesn’t have to worry about anything anymore. Trust me, I know how to appreciate what life hands me, and I respect anyone that struggles. I learned a long time ago that if I want something, I should go for it. So I do.” 

Damn it if those blue eyes weren’t boring holes into the side of Dean’s head. He wanted to be sassy and ask what it was that Cas wanted, but did he really want to know? Deflection was a natural reaction for him, so he avoided dangerous territory and went a different route.

“And you wanted to be a lawyer, so you went for it?”

Cas smirked, as though he were on to Dean. “Yeah, among other things.”

Thankfully Alfie walked back in the room and eased some of the tension.

“I have work in the morning.” He sounded pouty, and it made Dean chuckle.

“Yeah, so do I. I’m trying to save up as much as possible for rent and utilities before school starts back up next month. Plus we have textbooks to buy. I hate that college is so damn expensive.” 

“My textbooks this semester won’t be too bad. I found some of them used online. You should see if you can get some of yours used too. Or if you’re taking some of the same classes as me, we can even share,” Alfie said. Dean hauled himself out of the chair and stretched. It was only as he was trying to pull his tee shirt back down that he realized Cas was staring. His body was on a mission to betray him as his face began heating up again.

“Um, goodnight. See you in the morning Al. And see you again soon, Cas.” Dean started backing up towards his room, hyper aware of Cas’ eyes on him. 

“Definitely.” He heard the older man say before he ducked into his room. He closed the door and leaned back against it. When he looked down he noticed he had a bit of a chubby. Where had _that_ come from, and why? Was it just from Cas staring? Good God he hoped no one noticed that! Thinking about those blue eyes wasn’t helping, so he focused on all the tasks that still needed to be done in order to turn their apartment into a truly livable space. Once he knew it was safe to move he got dressed for bed. No more thinking about blue eyes or he was going to be in serious trouble!


	2. August

In the days leading up to the first day back at school, Dean worked as many shifts as he possibly could. Alfie worked just off campus at a shop that sold various university-related items. Everything from sweatshirts to foam fingers to license plate holders. With school starting back up parents were pouring in by the bus load to buy souvenirs and clothing that showed their pride for the university. Alfie was busy, and he and Dean didn't see much of one another. 

They both worked random weekends, depending on what hours their bosses needed to fill. Dean worked at a garage a few blocks from their apartment, and he saved himself a small fortune on gas by walking to work every day. One Friday night, just after classes had started back up and Dean was walking back from work, a car pulled up along side him. At first he ignored it but then the tinted window rolled down and he saw Cas leaning out. 

“Hello, Dean. Just getting off work?”

Dean stopped and turned towards the car. He was surprised, Cas drove an old Cadillac, not some newfangled car like he expected a lawyer to drive. 

“Yeah, actually. It's been a long week. I think Alfie’s still at work. Probably til nine. He's been closing lately.”

Cas sighed. “That explains why he wasn't answering my texts.” He seemed thoughtful for a moment before pinning Dean once more with his intense blue stare. “What are your plans this evening?”

Dean floundered for a moment. His plans? Aside from a shower and leftover fried chicken he didn't have a plan. 

“I dunno. Shower, eat, maybe watch a movie? I'm caught up on homework for the moment, and I don't have to be in until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Care to join me for dinner?” Cas asked. Dean blinked in surprise. Cas wanted to have dinner...with _him_? Why was that an exciting prospect? What the hell was going on with him? Before he could stop himself he was nodding. 

“Great. Hop in, I'll drive you to your place so you can shower, unless you are comfortable as-is,” Cas said. Dean looked down at his grease-stained clothes and his fingers that he never quite got completely clean down at the garage. 

“N-No, I need a quick shower.” Dean didn't like socializing when he was dirty from work, but for some reason he really wanted to make an extra-good impression on Cas. The man smiled warmly and leaned over to unlock the passenger door for Dean as he walked around to get in. As he slid into the seat he couldn't help the smile that suddenly appeared on his face when he heard Motorhead coming from the car speakers. 

“Awesome tunes.”

Cas smiled back as he pulled away from the curb. 

“I have most of my album collection on my iPod. I was still using tapes for a long time but my tape deck broke last year, so I moved into the new millennia and bought myself an iPod. I have it nearly filled up completely with music now. It's easier to transport, though honestly it took me forever to figure out how the damn thing worked.” 

Dean laughed. He couldn't help it. The pouty way Cas talked about his iPod was funny. 

“So how many songs are we talking here, Cas?” he asked. 

“Oh, about 3,000? Give or take. I'll actually need another iPod soon. I have another 1,000 or so I need to download.” Cas pulled up in front of Dean's building, and they both got out. 

When they got up to the apartment, Dean excused himself and went to grab clean clothes. As he headed to the bathroom he glanced at Cas. The man was looking through the albums on one of the repurposed shelves Dean had recently put together from scraps of wood he'd found. It looked like it belonged in Beetlejuice, but it was sturdy and held the contents of three album boxes and four of Alfie’s boxes of books. He planned to find more wood that he could repurpose and make more bookcases, and maybe even a TV stand, but that would come later.

The shower felt wonderful and Dean scrubbed the day’s filth off his skin and out of his hair. After making sure the dirt and grease were out from under his nails, he got out and dried off. He dressed quickly and rubbed a little gel in his hair before heading back into the living room. Cas smiled the moment his eyes fell on him, and it had Dean blushing again.

“I, uh, just need to grab my shoes. I’ll be back in a sec.” He ducked into his bedroom and decided on his casual boots instead of his work ones. Once he had his wallet and had grabbed his flannel he went back into the living room.

“Ready?” Cas asked. Dean gave a brisk nod.

“Yep.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You...went out. With _my_ brother?” Alfie scrunched up his nose as he paused the video game he’d been playing and turned back to look at Dean.

“Well, he was asking about you, but I told him you were closing. I guess you weren’t answering his texts so he came looking for you.” Dean shrugged as he untied his boots and set them by the front door. Not working until the following afternoon meant he could wear those to school and be comfortable in the morning.

“Yeah, I had to close, and I’m closing every day next week too. Phyllis fired Mandy, and she worked nights. Actually, the night shift just works better for me with my schedule and I think Phyllis knows that, so I think for a while I’ll be on it. The plus side is I’m off Sundays now, and I plan to just chill.” Alfie turned his attention back to the TV and put the game back on. “I forgot Cas texted me. I’ll have to apologize.”

“Well, I am going to go work on my art paper, then I’m going to bed. See you probably in the morning. If you leave before I do, would you please make sure the coffee pot is on?” Dean walked towards his bedroom door after he received a thumbs up from Alfie.

In his room Dean stripped down to his tee shirt and boxers before crawling into his bed with his laptop. He was a quarter of the way finished with his paper on the Baroque period when his phone buzzed with a text. He picked it up and slid the bar to unlock it. To his surprise it was Cas. They had exchanged numbers, but he hadn’t expected to really hear from the man.

Cas: Sorry to bother you but my brother STILL isn’t answering me. Is he home yet?

Dean: He’s playing video games in the living room. I’ll tell him you’re trying to reach him.

Cas: I apologize, but our mom says she called him and he didn’t answer. I explained to her about work and school, but she wants to hear from her “baby,” so I am just trying to pass that message along to him.

Dean: His phone is probably dead. He needs a new one, or a new battery because it dies like two hours after he takes it off the charger. We’ve both had our phones since freshman year. I’ll remind him to put it on the charger.

Cas: Thank you. Sleep well, Dean.

Dean’s stomach felt that stupid fluttering again. How was he supposed to respond to that? He mulled it over for a minute before typing back.

Dean: You too. And thanks again for dinner tonight.

Cas: My pleasure.

Dean got up from the bed and opened his bedroom door.

“Hey, call your mother, she’s trying to reach you!” He made sure to raise his voice just enough to be heard over the video game. “And text your brother!”

“Sure thing! Phone’s on the charger now!” Alfie called back. Satisfied that he had completed his mission, Dean went back to working on his paper.

Dean was still feeling a strange buzz under his skin an hour later when he turned off the light and when he closed his eyes, all he could see was blue. It was so very warm and inviting.


	3. November

“What are you doing for Christmas?” Cas asked. Dean looked up from the desk to find the man standing there, staring. More often than not, Cas was at their apartment. Dean had gone from being surprised by his seemingly frequent visits to actually being a bit saddened each time the man left. He was scared to even try and consider what that meant. Sometimes, like now, Cas was over when Alfie wasn’t there. Alfie was closing still, three months later, and though Cas knew this, he still showed up more often than not. He wasn’t sure if Cas was just that bored or if there was something more to it. The way Cas kept looking at him had him wondering.

“Uh, heading home. It’s the last Christmas before Sammy heads off to college. He’s not going to have the money to come home at Christmas next year, and it’s not really affordable for us to all head out to California.” 

“You could all fly,” Cas suggested.

“No!” Dean suddenly shouted, causing the other man to flinch. “Sorry, but no, I don’t fly. You won’t catch me in a tin can in the sky.” After getting over his initial surprise at Dean’s outburst, Cas actually seemed a little disappointed.

“Well, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

Dean shrugged. “Nothing, really. Probably just order take out and play some games.”

“No, no, no, that won’t do. Consider yourself formally invited to the Novak house for Thanksgiving. There’s no way Alfie or I would be able to sit around a table filled with food, or watching football, knowing you’re sitting here eating pizza rolls or sandwiches. We go all out for Thanksgiving, and you’re more than welcome.” Cas was insistent, his blue eyes filled with a determination that set off those stupid butterflies Dean was having a harder and harder time ignoring. He was seriously beginning to second guess himself. Was he attracted to men? Like in the same way he was to women?

“I’ll, uh, think about it. Thanks for the offer though.”

Cas looked ready to argue, but Dean changed the subject.

“Hey, you want a soda? I need a soda.” He got up from his chair and headed for the kitchen.

“You don’t have beer, do you?” Cas was trailing after him, stopping at the island that divided the tiny kitchen from the living room and leaning on it.

“No, not legal yet. End of January I can buy beer, but it’s an expense I probably won’t waste my money on.” 

“Soda is fine. Anything except cream soda,” Cas said. Dean snagged two cans of root beer and tossed one to the other man.

“I don’t like cream soda, but Alfie does. Stuff is nasty.” 

Cas hummed in agreement as he opened his can and took a sip.

“Our brother Gabe got him started on it. Gabe has many disgusting habits.”

Dean snickered and pulled out one of the bar stools so he could sit down across from him.

“I met him once. He took Alfie and me out to dinner during finals week last year and no joke, he ordered one of every dessert on the menu, and they were all for him.” 

Cas laughed hard at that. “Sounds like him. Sweet tooth does not properly describe what he has.”

Dean snorted. “I noticed.”

“So, your birthday is in January? You’re older than Alfie then,” Cas said.

“Yeah. His birthday is closer to my brother Sam’s.” 

“Doing anything for that?” Cas asked.

“My friend Benny was talking about taking me out to a bar, but that’ll all depend on work and classes. For him and me both.”

“That’s understandable. My coworkers threw me a small party for mine, but that was it. It wasn’t even a party, really. More like someone brought cupcakes in, put them in the breakroom and let everyone know they were there for my birthday.” Cas’ voice held a sadness he was trying hard to hide.

“You don’t have friends that wanted to take you out?” Dean had heard the man mention a couple of names, but so far, Cas hadn’t ever brought anyone by.

“I have friends,” Cas replied defensively. His shoulders dropped suddenly, and he folded his fingers around his can. “They’re friends from college, mostly.”

“Hey, it might sound lame, but you have Alfie...a-and me.” Dean knew his cheeks had to be as red as a tomato so he focused on the cold can of root beer in his hands. Still, even from the corner of his eyes he could see the way Cas seemed to light up with his words and smile.

“Thank you, Dean.”

The front door opened, and Alfie came stomping in, cursing loudly.

“Problem?” Dean knew Alfie didn’t swear very often so this kind of behavior meant something was really wrong.

“Yeah there’s a problem. I got _fired_! I worked my ass off for that place the last two years; I was up for a promotion, and the owner came in today, saw me flirting with a girl and fired me!” 

Dean glanced at Cas, who was looking at his brother with deep concern. “By flirting, what exactly do you mean?” the man asked.

Alfie’s brow was knit in agitation and his lips pressed so tightly together that they all but disappeared.

“Hey, man, we’ll be ok. I can swing the rent and stuff til you get another job.” Dean didn’t like seeing his friend so upset.

“You shouldn’t have to do that though! I was stupid. I’m sorry, Dean.” Alfie looked on the verge of tears, and that got Cas in motion. He left his can on the counter and pulled his brother into a hug. Dean couldn’t hear the soft words being murmured in his friend’s ear, but they seemed to calm Alfie down. He grabbed a can of root beer out of the fridge and when Alfie flopped down onto the stool next to Cas, he handed it over.

“So, you got fired over a chick. What the hell, man? That’s not like you,” he said.

Alfie snorted and shook his head. “She’s been coming in for months now and we flirted some, but I decided to take a chance today and ask her out finally. Unfortunately there was a bit of a line and the owner chose the moment I asked her out to walk in, saw the three people in line behind her, none of whom were bothered by the fact. In fact they were all smiling and clapped when she said yes! And as soon as I got all of the customers out of the way, he told me to go home, that I didn’t have a job there anymore.”

“Your exemplary work performance should speak volumes. You made one mistake. I would contact your immediate manager, see if she can speak to the owner,” Cas insisted. Alfie moved his shoulders in a vague sort of shrug as he opened his soda.

“Not worth it. The owner is an asshole and likes to make Phyllis tack on more hours for us but not give us raises. I’d prefer to find somewhere else to work. Maybe across the street. They’re hiring.”

“Well, at least the rent is paid this month. We’ll make it through to the beginning of the year and reevaluate.” Dean reached across the island and patted his friend’s shoulder. “We’ll be ok.”

Alfie gave a pathetic, sad smile and Dean could see the worry behind it.

“I hope you’re right.”


	4. December

Alfie groaned as he walked in the door and dropped his bag on the floor. Dean looked up from his beanbag chair where he was reading a book for his English class.

“What’s wrong?”

“I applied to twelve different places today alone, and despite it being two weeks until Christmas, no place accepted. I even watched one guy toss my application in the garbage can. I mean, shit, I know I _look_ young, but if they actually reviewed my application they’d see I’m plenty old enough to work. I just can’t work at bars or anything yet.” Alfie was pouting and didn’t even bother trying to hide it.

“Want me to see if I can get you in at the garage?” Dean wanted to help but the only two places he knew that would hire Alfie if he asked were the garage he worked at or the Roadhouse, but you had to be twenty-one to work there since it was a bar. 

“I don’t know anything about cars. I’d be as useless as a nun in a strip club,” Alfie sighed. Dean barked out a laugh at the mental image his friend had just given him. It managed to draw up the corners of Alfie’s mouth for a moment.

“Well, keep trying. Something’s bound to give.” It was lame advice but it was the best Dean had to offer at the moment. He didn’t want to worry his friend, but money was getting tighter. Sure, Dean had been able to cover the rent and utilities for the month, but now he didn’t have enough for gas for his car or for groceries. He’d already picked up more hours at the garage but his grades were going to suffer if they didn’t get more money coming in soon. A knock at the door drew both of their attention.

“Probably Cas,” Dean said as Alfie walked to the door.

“Yeah, probably.” Alfie opened the door to find their friend Charlie standing there.

“Sup bitches?” she greeted them as she walked in.

“Hey, what brings you by?” Dean set his book aside and pulled himself up from the beanbag chair. She held up a game, wiggling it a bit as she did the same with her eyebrows. 

“Oh, what’s that?” Alfie plucked it from her fingers. “Sweet! The new Call of Duty!”

“Nice!” Dean grinned. “Let’s play!”

“Did you guys eat? I’m in the mood for pizza.” Charlie said as she flopped down in the other beanbag chair.

“Uh, we sort of can’t afford takeout right now.” Dean scratched at his chin as he looked over at Alfie. Poor guy looked almost distraught for a moment before a very familiar look of determination came over his face. It was the same look his brother Cas always gave.

“I’ll be back in about a half hour. You guys want pizza, I’ll get pizza.” 

Before Dean could say something, Alfie had grabbed his coat and was out the door. 

“Where is he going?” Charlie asked as Dean sat back down in his own chair.

“Probably to ask his brother for money. He helps us out sometimes,” Dean replied.

“Cool.” Charlie leaned forward to slide the game into the console. Dean was still collecting wood to put together more shelves but he didn’t quite have enough yet for an entertainment center, therefore the television and the game system were sitting on the floor. Once winter had passed he hoped to come across more discarded pieces.

“Alright, let’s get this game started. Alfie takes over for whoever loses,” Charlie declared.

“You’re on.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a little more than an hour before Alfie came back carrying a bottle of Coke, one small pizza box and four large ones in his hands. Dean jumped up to help him, and Charlie followed them to the kitchen.

“What is all this?” Dean asked. Knowing the small box probably contained something for Charlie, he slid it across the counter to her and lifted the lid on the first of the big boxes, feeling his stomach rumble at the smell of meat lover’s pizza inside. 

“Cas told me to get extra pizza so we have some leftovers for a few days. I…” Alfie looked sheepishly up at Dean. “I told him how tight money is right now, and that we are running low on food.”

Dean sighed. He didn’t want to burden Cas with their problems. The poor man was already working a ton of overtime lately on a case and hadn’t been by much the last few weeks. It wasn’t his concern what financial problems he and Alfie were going through, yet there was a sense of relief too that Cas had helped them out. 

Again.

He’d have to bake the man a pie or something. Alfie found the paper plates and handed them each one. While Dean dished out slices of pizza, including a special vegan one for Charlie (even Alfie respected her wish not to eat any animal products), Alfie poured them all some of the soda. They took their meal into the living room where they ate and continued to play. At ten Charlie stood up, stretching and popping her back.

“We really need to get you guys some real furniture.” She rotated her shoulder and popped her neck, sighing with satisfaction when the pressure was released. “I need to get back to the dorms before my roommate decides I am not coming back tonight and locks me out. I’ll leave the game. We can play next time I come over.” 

Dean got up and walked her to the door. “Thanks for stopping by, Red. I’ll see you in class tomorrow.” He gave her a quick hug before she left and closed the door behind her. Alfie was busy playing by himself, so Dean finished putting all of the pizza away. He made sure to put a couple of slices in a ziploc bag to take for his dinner at work tomorrow. Once everything was cleaned up he told Alfie goodnight and went about getting ready for bed. As he went to plug his phone in he decided it would be appropriate to text Cas and thank him for the pizza.

Dean: I just wanted to say thank you for the pizza tonight. You didn’t have to do that, but it was really appreciated.

It didn’t take long before Cas responded.

Cas: You guys shouldn’t be starving. I’m trying to put the word out for Alfie, to help him find a job. Until then I have no problem with helping you guys out. I’m glad you both ate. If you need groceries don’t be afraid to ask.

Dean: I feel like I need to do something to pay you back. It feels like we’re taking advantage of you. That bugs me.

Cas: You’re not taking advantage of me if I’m offering. But if you insist on doing something in return, you could perhaps come by one evening when you’re off and show me how to cook. I nearly choked to death last night on the chicken breast I made, it was so dry. I either dry it out so bad it’s like eating dust or I burn it so bad it’s like eating charcoal. I can’t win. Your cooking is amazing, and I would very much like to learn to cook like you. And of course have you join me.

Dean’s stomach did that funny twist again. Alfie was mentioned nowhere in that entire text. Was it only Dean that he wanted to have come over? Why did it feel so much like a date? _Was_ it a date? He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. He was overthinking things. Focusing on the conversation again, he typed back.

Dean: On one condition.

Cas: Name your price.

Dean grinned as he typed back.

Dean: You let me make you a pie. As a thank you.

Cas: I like you even more, Dean Winchester. Can it be cherry?

Dean: Absolutely.

Cas: Let’s aim for after the chaos of the new year. I’ll make sure to have whatever ingredients you request ahead of time. You are in complete control.

Huh. Complete control. Why did that send Dean’s mind into dark and dirty places? His mental argument over how much he liked girls was weak at best now. He wasn’t ready to admit that he liked Cas as more than a friend though. 

Not yet.

Dean: Sounds good. You give me a list of dishes you want to try your hand at, and we’ll get you cooking in no time.

Cas: Maybe this isn’t a one day thing. Perhaps we should get together a few times, so I can learn how to make more dishes.

Dean smiled. He had this niggling feeling at the back of his mind that Cas really liked being around him. That...made him feel good.

Dean: You definitely won’t learn all in one night. We’ll see how my schedule looks after the start of the new year. It will depend on whether Alfie gets a job or not, but if he does we can make it like a week long adventure while I’m on spring break. Sound good?

Cas: Sounds great. Are you in bed now?

Dean: Yeah, I have a Saturday class now at 8:30.

Cas: Then I won’t bother you any further. Sleep well, Dean.

Dean: You too, Cas.

After setting his phone aside and turning the light off, Dean nestled down under his blankets. He still had a smile on his lips as he drifted off.


	5. April

“So, how have you been? I haven’t seen you or Alfie very much the last couple of months,” Charlie asked. She and Dean had an anthropology class together. One of his last classes of the year. Last year he and Alfie had taken off the spring semester so they could work and save up money for their apartment, but now they were both so close to being done. Come the end of May he would be officially graduated with his degree in hand. He was eager to be done.

“It’s been hectic. Alfie got a new job but he wasn’t getting enough hours, and it was stressing him out so much he failed two classes and lost his scholarship. His brother Cas has been covering his tuition.” Dean had this desperate need to talk to someone about what had been going on for close to a year now with Alfie’s brother. “Can I talk to you about something?”

Charlie slowed her pace as she looked over at him. “Sure.”

Dean worried his lower lip between his teeth for a minute before he worked up the nerve to tell her what was on his mind.

“So like, I think Alfie’s brother is hitting on me.”

To her credit Charlie didn’t laugh like he expected. She simply arched one eyebrow. 

“What makes you think that?” 

He took a deep breath and began ticking things off.

“Well…like, he’s like helping us out with rent and stuff? And he, like, wants to hang out a lot…like, even with just me, like, Alfie isn’t even there…and then he bought Alfie’s books for this semester, except he asked if I wanted to come to the bookstore, and then he bought my books. But I didn’t let him buy all of them ’cause I felt weird. He’s also taken me to dinner a couple of times. And that’s not all. He asked me to come over in January to help show him how to cook, and he hovered _really_ close the whole time. And he follows me into the kitchen at my place when I cook and offers to help, and you _know_ my kitchen is small, but Alfie and I can move around in it without getting in each other’s space. It’s not like that with Cas though. He’s always brushing up against me or like, touching my lower back. So, like…”

“Is he hot?” She interrupted. Dean’s mouth snapped shut as he considered the question. Cas was...gorgeous. He wasn’t ready to admit that though. His cheeks turned red and he dropped his chin to his chest as made their way to Worthington Hall where their class was being held.

“Uh, I guess? Yeah, I mean...maybe? I don’t know…” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

“Is this like creepy? He’s not creepy, is he?” she asked.

Dean’s eyes widened as he looked up at her. What? No! No, dude, he’s not like–” He ran his fingers through his hair, more out of frustration than anything. “Like he’s actually a pretty cool guy. He’s paying for Alfie to go to college and helping us out, and he’s all smart, like he’s a lawyer and shit, and he’s, like, chill, y'know, and–” When he looked over he saw a near maniacal smile on his friend’s face. “What?” He demanded.

“You _like_ him!” She shoved his arm playfully, even as his jaw clenched.

“I’M NOT GAY!” He said it so loudly that everyone around them turned to look at them. His face flushed even redder, and he groaned as he buried it between his hands. “What the hell, Red, I’m not gay!” he said in a quieter tone.

“But you like him.” She had that wicked smirk on her lips, the one she wore right before she kicked his ass at a video game.

“ _I’m not gay!_ ” he insisted. She stopped dead in her tracks, so he stopped too. The people behind them mumbled in annoyance as they moved around them to keep going.

“You don’t _have_ to be gay to like someone. Clearly he has all the qualities that you like in a person. Let me ask you something. Have you ever found another guy attractive?” She had her hands on her hips and a no-nonsense look on her face. Damn if she didn’t remind him of his mother in that moment. He also knew she had an excellent bullshit detector and if he lied, she would know.

“Maybe.” It was the best he would give her.

“I will ask you again. Do you think Cas is hot?”

Dean’s sigh was something between a growl and a whine as he tugged at his hair in frustration.

“Yes, are you happy now?”

“It doesn’t matter what I think. What matters is what you think. You might not be gay, but I think you are bi. And you’ve been repressing your feelings about guys. Well, until Cas came into your life and shook things up. It sounds like he really likes you, and considering how worked up you are right now about this? I’d say you like him back just as much,” she said. 

“Fuck,” he groaned. “What am I supposed to do? I’ve never…” 

She started walking again, and he slowly fell back in step next to him.

“You could be dating a hot lawyer.” 

He gave her a withering look that just made her giggle.

“What is it you’re scared about? The whole ‘hey, I like you, want to go out sometime?’ thing, kissing him, or the sex?” she asked.

“How about all of the above?” He meant it as a joke, but she heard the seriousness in it.

“Dean, it’s not rocket science. Start with telling him how you feel. And I would maybe do it when Alfie isn’t there. But something tells me he already knows his brother likes you.” 

“What makes you think that?” He asked.

“Well, if he wasn’t ok with it, do you really think he’d let his brother just be coming around when he’s not there? No, he’d tell Cas to wait til he was home first. And if he felt that you were being made uncomfortable by his brother’s advances, he would tell him to back off. Alfie’s a good guy.” 

She had a point. He hated when she used logic on him.

“Yeah, ok. So what am I supposed to do?”

“Well, when are you going to see him again?” she asked.

“Probably tonight. Alfie is taking night classes now to make up the classes he failed last semester, so he won’t be home until after ten.” Dean’s stomach did a flip at the thought of being alone with Cas. Sure they had been alone plenty of times, but now it was different. Now he was actually giving himself permission to admit he had feelings for Cas. What if Cas was just super nice and didn’t like him like that? No, Cas was into him, he was sure of it. 

“Then I think that maybe you should make him a nice dinner and sit down and talk,” she suggested. He took a deep breath and let it out. 

“Yeah, I can do that. Fuck, this shit is scary,” he admitted.

“It’s not as scary as you think it is.” She squeezed his arm gently. “Take it one step at a time.”

“I think…” He laughed nervously and shook his head. “Fuck! I think I want to kiss him.”

She smiled and rolled her eyes. “Duh. I already know you do.”

“I hate you,” he muttered as they reached their class, and he opened the door.

“You love me.” She gave him a cheesy smile before walking into the class and heading to her seat. He shook his head and smiled fondly. Yeah, he really did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dean: Hey, uh, were you planning to stop by tonight?

Cas: I was thinking about it. Would I be interrupting anything?

Dean: No, I am cooking. I wanted to know if you wanted to come over for dinner.

Cas: I’d love to. What time?

Dean: Seven.

Cas: I’ll be there.

Dean’s hands were shaking through that entire texting conversation and still after as he set the phone aside and went back to chopping vegetables. Cas liked his salads, and he wanted to make a really good one for him. God, when had he become such a sap? He shook his head and got them cut up. He had steaks marinating, and the potatoes were waiting to go in the oven. At Charlie’s suggestion she had told him to pick up a bottle of wine. He quickly learned that he was absolutely clueless about the millions of different kinds so after some serious googling and consulting the sales lady in the store, he had selected a rather pricey (for him) bottle of red wine and a six pack of beer, in case Cas didn’t like the wine. After finishing the preparations, he went to take a shower. It was a little after six thirty when he got out. Cas was used to seeing him in tee shirts and sweats, occasionally even his work jumper, but he’d never seen Dean dress up. This wasn’t exactly a dressing up type situation, but he wanted to do better than just his usual tee shirts. He pulled a clean, white dress shirt from the closet and his nicest pair of jeans. After a quick shave and styling of his hair, he got dressed. He had to admit, as he looked at his reflection, he cleaned up nicely. If Cas was attracted to him when he looked like a lazy bum, he’d probably go nuts now.

Someone knocked, and Dean’s stomach felt like it was going to fall out. He was at serious risk of throwing up. After taking a few calming breaths, he padded barefoot across the living room to get the door. Saying a quick prayer that he wasn’t about to humiliate himself, he opened it. Cas was standing there, looking amazing as usual. He was smiling, but Dean noticed the way his eyes widened and he swallowed hard as he took in what Dean was wearing.

“Uh, hey, come on in.” He stepped back as Cas moved past him into the living room.

“Hello yourself. How are classes going?” Cas asked.

“Good. Stressful, it’s almost time for finals again, but I am confident that I’ll pass everything,” Dean replied as he closed the door.

“That’s good. Something smells delicious.” Cas looked good, better than usual, actually. Dean could tell he had showered, his hair was still damp, and he had shaved. He was wearing a plaid button down and the jeans that Dean loved to see him in because they hugged his thighs and ass just right, not that he had been looking. Damn it. As he started back towards the kitchen he allowed himself a small smile at the thought that Cas had wanted to make a good impression on him.

“I have steaks in the oven, and potatoes, but I know you like salads, so I made one.” 

“Is, uh, my brother here?” Cas tried and failed at sounding casual.

“No, he has his late classes tonight. It’ll be a few hours before he gets home.” Dean busied himself with getting the salad and a couple of different dressings out of the fridge. When he turned around he saw Cas reading the label on the bottle of wine. It made his stomach flutter nervously.

“If you don’t like that, I have beer o-or soda.” He set the salad and dressing on the island before getting down bowls and plates.

“I like wine.” Cas set the bottle down and looked up at him. There was something akin to suspicion in his blue eyes but Dean could see something else there too. Hope?

“It’s supposed to go good with red meat.” Dean had positioned the bar stools so they would be seated across from one another, and Cas had made sure to sit in the one on the living room side. He always did that so he could watch Dean as he bustled around the kitchen, and Dean was used to it.

“This looks delicious.” Cas smiled as Dean stuck the tongs into the salad.

“Do you want cheese on it? Or egg or something?” Dean asked.

“No, that’s not necessary. I am intrigued by this pomegranate vinaigrette though. I’ve never had that, so I think I’ll try some now.” Cas put a healthy amount of salad on his plate and after shaking the bottle of dressing, drizzled some over his salad. Dean didn’t eat many salads, but Alfie had gotten him to start and he loved the pomegranate dressing. After checking the steak and potatoes he returned to his seat and put some salad on his own plate. He poured some of the vinaigrette over it and picked up his fork. Cas was already digging in, making appreciative noises over the pralines and dried cranberries he had added. If Dean was going to be expected to eat a salad, he wanted something sweet to offset the kale and other vegetables. The cranberries and nuts did exactly that.

 

“I don’t think I’ve had a salad this delicious before. This is really good. You’ll have to tell me all of what you added. Besides the obvious.” Cas sounded like he was rambling nervously and Dean covered his mouth with the hand he still held his fork in, to hide his smile.

“Sure, whatever you want, Cas.”

Cas tore his eyes away from the now empty plate and looked up at him. There was maybe a touch of fear in those blue orbs and as nervous as Dean was, Cas seemed even more so.

“Wine?” he asked. Cas nodded mutely and watched as Dean fished the brand new bottle opener he had invested in, at the suggestion of the sales lady at the store, out of the drawer and went to work opening the bottle.

“Let it breathe for a couple of minutes,” Cas said softly. Dean nodded and got down the brand new wine glasses he had also invested in and set them on the table. Still trying to get his own nerves under control he went to get the steak and potatoes out of the oven. He carried them to the table and after everything was served and the hot pans were left to cool on top of the stove, they sat down to eat. Cas took the bottle of wine and served some to both of them. He was being unusually quiet and if Dean was seeing right, he was even trembling a little. 

“Hey, can I talk to you about something?” 

Cas clearly didn’t trust himself so he dropped his hands into his lap. 

“Of course. What’s on your mind?”

And that was the kicker, wasn’t it? How was he supposed to just bring this subject up.

“Well, I, uh, was talking to a friend earlier today. Not Alfie, my friend Charlie, and I was telling her about the awesome things you’ve done to help us since we moved in here and she-she thought I was gushing a-and accused me of having a crush on you, but I told her I-I’m not gay and-”

“I’m not gay either, Dean.” Cas said quietly. Dean’s mouth snapped shut immediately. Well, guess there was no reason to keep _that_ conversation going. The disappointment he felt actually made his heart ache. So he had been reading Cas wrong all along. He tried not to feel thoroughly embarrassed about how he had nearly told Cas he liked him.

“Oh, uh, good to know.” He laughed nervously and reached for his wine glass, downing half the contents in one swallow.

“I’m pansexual. Do you know what that is?” Cas asked. Sure, Dean had heard the word thrown around a lot on campus, but he wasn’t a hundred percent sure he understood what that meant.

“I have heard that word used, but honestly, no. I do not know what it is.”

Cas took a sip from his own wine glass. “It means that I am attracted to a person’s personality. How funny and sweet they are, what amazing character they have, that’s what I’m drawn to. Their gender is inconsequential. That being said, I do notice looks. I notice them more so with certain people. They’re just...beautiful. They radiate that beauty and it’s like planets revolving around the sun, it’s difficult to get out of their orbit. I’ve only met a couple of people like that in my lifetime, but only one I was actually attracted to.” He was blushing, and Dean was starting to feel like maybe he still had a chance.

“Oh? And what came of that attraction?” He was trying to sound casually interested and not eager to know.

“Thus far? I think it’s possible the interest might actually be returned finally.” The flush on Cas’ cheeks was getting brighter, and he was focusing on cutting his steak rather than making eye contact with Dean.

“So after talking with Charlie earlier she helped me to realize something,” Dean said as he began cutting his own steak.

“Oh?” Cas’ eyes darted up for a second before returning to his food. Dean suddenly realized he had forgotten butter and other condiments.

“Would you like cheese and sour cream for your potato? Or I have infused butter. I made it myself.” 

“Infused butter? Infused with what?” Cas did lift his head then, his curiosity apparent.

“I have two. Garlic or Rosemary.” Dean was already getting up and walking to the fridge.

“Gar-” Cas froze. “No, maybe I’ll do that one another time. Do you have regular? I’ll pass on the cheese and sour cream.”

Dean nodded and pulled the container of regular butter out. He set it on the counter and sat back down. Cas had the right idea. If he could get out the rest of what he wanted to say and this ended the way he wanted it to, he certainly didn’t want to have garlic breath.

“You were saying?” Cas prompted him to continue.

“Oh, so talking with Charlie earlier she explained that I’m, uh, not as straight as I thought I was.” Dean focused on removing the lid on the spreadable butter rather than looking up and seeing the blue eyes he knew were staring hard at him.

“So, if you’re not gay, and you’re not straight...are you bisexual?” 

Dean half nodded, half shrugged. “I’m still trying to figure myself out but...yeah, that’s the general consensus. I sort of ignored it whenever I thought a guy was hot.”

“But you’re not ignoring it anymore?” Cas asked.

“No, and...I don’t really want to ignore it anymore.” 

Cas took a bit of the butter and stuffed it into the center of his potato.

“Because you like someone?”

Dean hesitated a moment before nodding. “Yeah, I like him a lot, too.” He stuffed some butter into his own potato.

For several minutes they ate in comfortable silence, though the air between them hung heavy with tension. He could tell that while Cas apparently knew Dean had a crush on him, he was desperate to hear the actual words, and Dean wanted to say them. When they had finished their food Dean collected the plates and silverware, carrying them to the sink. He rinsed them and when he turned back around Cas was right there in front of him. 

“Glasses?” He was holding the two empty wine glasses.

“You don’t want more?” Dean asked. They’d already had two glasses each. It turned out to be pretty decent, and he had a slight buzz going on. It was part of why he had felt bold enough to finally start the conversation up in the first place. Cas shook his head.

“No, I’m good. But if you want more, I’ll leave your glass out.”

Dean shook his head. “No, I’m done, I think.”

Cas smiled shyly as he leaned around Dean to place the glasses in the sink. It had Dean’s heart racing having Cas so close. When he stood up straight again he was right in Dean’s personal space. Dean could smell his shampoo, which smelled like crisp apples, and something earthy. He was betting it was lotion. The man smelled delicious. Dean’s brain was focusing hard on Cas, for once tuning out that pathetic voice at the back of his head that kept crying about how much he liked girls. The voice that sounded strangely like his father. His hands flexed at his side as he tried to resist burying them in that mess that Cas called hair.

“Dean, I hope you don’t think I’m being out of line here but was this...a date?”

Dean swallowed hard. 

“Uh, maybe? Did you w-want it to be?”

The smile he received was downright amazing. He was understanding now what Cas had meant earlier about being pulled into someone’s orbit. 

“I was hoping it was.”

Dean gave a nervous little laugh. “I’m glad. Cause I...I like you, Cas. I’m still figuring stuff out, but I know I like you. A lot.”

“I like you too, Dean. I have since the first moment I met you. I admit, at first I thought maybe you were straight, but then I kept catching you staring, so I allowed myself to hope. I was not aware that you were trying to understand your own feelings. My brother said he wasn’t entirely sure you were straight and that if I liked you, I should move slowly and see how you reacted. This has been a very painful year for me,” Cas admitted. Dean felt himself relaxing now that he’d gotten his big confession off his chest.

“Alfie thought I was bi?” Dean was a little shocked by that. 

“He caught you looking at me too.” Cas chuckled. Dean huffed out a small laugh as he shook his head.

“I guess I’m not surprised others noticed it before I did. I’m always the last to catch onto things.”

“So, now I have a question for you. And you can feel free to say no but…” Cas looked up shyly and Dean was absolutely amazed by how blue the man’s eyes were this close up.

“What’s your question?” It came out as a whisper but Dean couldn’t find it in himself to speak any louder, not with Cas moving even closer.

“Can I kiss you? It’s just a kiss, nothing else.” 

Dean was nodding before his brain had processed the entire sentence, and he reached out to pull Cas closer. There was a split second of staring into one another’s eyes before he couldn’t bear it any longer and closed the last few inches. The lips that pressed up against his own were soft and dry and it was a little weird at first not having to lean down to kiss someone but he liked it. He liked it a lot. His hands tightened on Cas’ hips, and he silently cheered when he felt Cas’ arms come up around his neck. For a moment he pulled back, but only to tilt his head and get a better angle.

Cas tasted sweet like wine, and Dean’s head was spinning from how wonderful the simple act of kissing someone was. The kiss was rather chaste, despite being drawn out, and they had both avoided using tongue, but it was probably one of the best kisses of Dean’s life. The butterflies he always felt when he was around the man suddenly exploded bigger than a nuclear bomb. Not even his last girlfriend had made him feel like this! As the kiss drew to a close Cas leaned back just enough to look at him. His arms were still around Dean’s neck, and Dean’s hands were still on his waist. Dean was pretty sure he didn’t ever want to let him go.

“Are you ok? Was that ok?” Cas chewed nervously at his lower lip as he searched Dean’s eyes for any signs of hesitation. Dean, however, was already looking to kiss him again.

“That was great, but do we have to stop?” He surprised even himself with his eagerness. Cas laughed and pressed closer until he was chest to chest with Dean.

“I could seriously kiss you forever, Dean. It’s like a dream come true. I just don’t want to rush you and scare you away.”

“I’m not going anywhere. I have to work through some things, but I like you a lot, Cas. Like... _a lot_ , a lot. I’ll let you know the moment I feel like I’m being pushed too far.” Dean did what he’d been dying to do since Cas had walked in the door and buried his fingers in the man’s hair. He dragged him in for another kiss, this one he didn’t hold back on. The moment his tongue dragged along Cas’ lower lip the man moaned and opened up. Dean hadn’t expected that to be as hot as it was. So Charlie was right. He was bi. And you know what? He was more ok with that than he had expected. After a lengthy make out session where Cas had Dean pressed back against the counter, they finally came up for air.

“How does pie and a movie sound?” Dean asked once he had his breath back. Cas’ face lit up, and he smiled.

“You made pie?”

“Of course I did. I made your favorite too, cherry,” Dean replied.

“I would love to watch a movie and eat pie.” Cas was practically beaming and Dean realized that while the small, sweet smiles the man constantly threw his way were wonderful, the ones that lit his face up and made his eyes sparkle were truly his favorites. He wanted to see many, many more of those.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alfie was exhausted when he walked into the apartment but the lights were off in the living room and kitchen, so he moved quietly. What he didn’t get was why, if his brother’s car was parked outside, were Dean and Cas not out in the living room talking like they usually were, or sitting in the kitchen? There were voices coming from Dean’s bedroom though, and he realized pretty quick that his friend was probably watching a movie. When a familiar laughter filtered out, mingling with Dean’s, he stopped taking off his shoes and looked up at the closed door. His brother...was in the room with Dean. After going back to taking his shoes off he walked over to the closed bedroom door and put an ear to it. They were watching Guardians of the Galaxy, and clearly Cas liked it because he was laughing again. He knocked softly on the door and a moment later heard the movie pause. When the door opened he was face to face with Dean.

“Uh, hey. You guys watching a movie?” He asked. Dean shifted nervously and glanced back over his shoulder at the bed before looking at Alfie again.

“Yeah, we had dinner, and pie. And I asked him if he wanted to watch a movie.”

Alfie nodded. He could barely make out the form of his brother sitting up in the bed, lit only by the light from the laptop screen. He looked up at his friend and smiled.

“So. Dinner, a movie. Is this a date?”

Dean rubbed at the back of his neck. “Are you ok with that?”

“Dude, I knew you two were into each other from the moment you met. Why do you think I took nights? I knew he wanted time to be around you without me. You guys enjoy your movie. I’m dead to the world and heading to bed.” Alfie started for his room but stopped a few feet away and turned back. “Keep the noise down, these walls are thin,” he teased. Dean laughed and flipped him off before closing the door. 

It had taken Dean long enough to come around, but Alfie was glad for his brother and his best friend. They were a good fit. Tonight though, he was exhausted. Without bothering to shed more than his jeans, he collapsed face down into his bed. He was asleep just moments later. The soft sounds of laughter coming from the room next door didn’t even make him stir.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. Comments and kudos are always welcome. Thank you for reading!


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